2011-01-28 - Alien Invasion? - Toys Gone Wild
It's early Friday evening, and rush hour has passed. People are finishing their dinners, many turning on the television to see what entertainment is available that night. But a number of those TVs aren't working, and this phenomenon seems to have spread. The big, well-known signs that line Times Square are making random patterns or spewing random messages, and the traffic lights are being all but ignored, since they're flickering up and down in each of their colors. As if that weren't enough, there's a large toy store near here, and it has an extensive electronics department -- a department which, it seems, has been affected by the strange rash of technological malfunctions that has been sweeping the city. The front window glass shatters as a fleet of miniature kiddy-cars and remote-control planes and helicopters smashes free, taking to the streets. Robot toys marching in formation follow, even those creepy-looking ones that are made to resemble teddy bears or the like. The toys have run amuck, and who knows if it will even stop there? As the situation begins to worsen, Warbird drifts down from the sky, having heard the alarm from the broken glass. As she hangs in the air, trying to make sense of what she sees below, she grumbles to herself, "Why? Why would /anyone/ want to cause this? It's just... stupid." "What if it's not being caused? It could be some kind of...runaway effect." It could, for example, be a mutant with no control over his powers. Iron Man speaks from where he has just descended next to Warbird. "It seems more likely than a deliberate attack." Hrm. Now. The problem is, Tony has yet to find a CENTER to this. A pattern. Right after things calm down from the rushing hours, everything goes crazy. As a visitor, the way she is everywhere with no home of her own and disinterest in actually having one, Cassandra stares in wonder at the chaos that ensues from the simple event of playthings turned into nightmarish agents of change. So often has she seen the same patterns of chaos erupt from what should not be considered such a big deal, it never ceases to mystify her when everyone around the event acts as though the world were coming to an end. Even so, this is a danger that needs to be curtailed. Breaking through a window is not something the playthings should be capable of. Windows are tough, even if they are brittle. With a rush of motion that is difficult to folow when one does not expect her speed, the raven-haired girl rushes to smash through a toy helicoptor as it goes on an attack run for a shell-shocked seeming young woman. Her fist shatters the toy while she passes by, taking the woman out of harm's way and to a more safe spot. As it stands right now, Colt was out trying to enjoy his evening when this craziness started. Thankfully he was in the area when things started to go wonky, and it didn't take long for him to bring his armor into existance around his body and move out into the street. As of right now, he's doing his best to steer people away from the sight, since there's no doubt dozens of gawkers who are wanting to get video of this on their iPhones. He just hopes whatever is causing these malfunctions can't affect the alien AI inside of his armor. Ororo is strolling along toward Times Square with a mildly curious expression, watching the various technological devices as she moves through the crowds. "What in the Goddess' name... " Muttering to herself as she notices the crowds partway down the block become agitated, she begins to push her way more forcefully toward the toy store. "Stand aside!" She calls to a group of teenagers in the process of getting out their iPhones, while squeezing past them to get a better look at the rampaging electronics. She looks up upon hearing the toy aircrafts, and her eyes widen a little when she sees not only a few Sentinels, but also a young girl taking out a toy helicopter. "Well." She murmurs, "And here I thought this was an uninteresting day." The toy helicopter shatters like the plastic its made of when Cassandra strikes it, and its fellows begin flying tight circles around her, as if trying to scare her off. Their little weapons -- nothing more than blinking lights with high-pitched sounds, really -- flash, though a few of the fancier ones fire soft plastic or foam darts that are, of course, completely harmless. Meanwhile, several of the robots cut and run to the side, jumping into the street and making a break for a nearby storm drain. Other toys are still scurrying about inside the store, sending patrons running for cover. Warbird looks to Iron Man. "This is just ridiculous. Can't you just... zap them and make their batteries die, or something? I'd feel almost guilty smashing those things up. They're too /cute/ to want to hurt." She too notices Cassandra's movement, pausing purse her lips and look mildly impressed. "That one, at least, doesn't look helpless, and -- there, isn't that Ororo?" She points down at the white-haired woman. "The only way to do that is an EMP, and the owners of computers and cars in the surrounding few blocks would not appreciate it. We're going to have to do this the old fashioned way." As he finishes saying that he dives for the group trying to escape. Of course, he plans on trying to capture some of the malfunctioning toys. With Iron Man discussing the old fashioned way, the fast-moving girl has snatched from the toy helicoptor its rotor as it fell into pieces from her blow, using it as a throwing weapon to break a second with surprising impact for a piece of plastic while it buzzes around her. She does not treat the attacks from the things as anything less dangerous than actual weapons' fire, avoiding the soft darts with grace and speed which marks her as an accomplished athlete, despite her evidently homeless status. Before long she has punched her way through each of the flying nuisance vehicles, moving to high ground from the army of walking miniature monsters. From there she watches, unsure of what she needs to do since there aren't any other rubberneckers in immediate sight and some flying people appear to be nearby. She stares at said flying people, astonishment clear on her face. "Well what the hell." The armored guy who can't fly starts to head towards the only person who's actively breaking things. He punts a teddy bear across the street as he makes his way up to Cassandra, "Miss, I need you to clear the area for your own saftey." The Steel Soldier does not want to hear about how she's doing fine on her own or how she can help. It's his job to make sure people stay safe. Ororo glances from Warbird and Iron Man to the rampaging toys, and frowns slightly. As she notices the toys aiming for the storm drain her frown darkens, and she steps forward. Focused on the storm drain, she lifts her hands, and as her eyes begin to glow with a faint white light the temperature beins dropping quickly. Far more quickly than could ever be considered natural. Soon enough, it is below freezing in Times Square, at which point Ororo drops her hands and points at the Storm drain, which freezes over, effectively cutting it off as an escape route. The other armored man is given a look with a raised brow, "/Her/ safety? Perhaps you mean the safety of these toys?" One by one, more toys bite the dust. A few little robots do escape into the storm drain, though, to taste the sewery taste of toy robot freedom, such that it is. "Oh, fine," Warbird says with a toss of her head, and with that she lets herself drop, plummeting neatly with her legs straight and toes pointed, arms held up and out to her sides with hair and sash fluttering wildly about her. She lands with a soft whump, crouched and ready, with a crushed children's jeep reduced to shards of plastic and metal (and four scattered, spinning wheels) beneath her. "But I swear, I feel like the Grinch." That's when something inside the toy store fires off a rocket, which just happens to hit Warbird right between the eyes, exploding in a tiny fireball and knocking her square on her ass. "...Okay, OW," she growls, sounding more annoyed than hurt, though she's clutching one gloved hand to her face. Iron Man actually winces...fortunately, that doesn't translate to the suit. Then he starts cutting a swathe through the toy robots with his repulsor beams. This is going to be expensive. Ah well...they're insured. "I can't say I feel good about it either." Especially as he just shot down a squadron of Iron Man toys. The notion of 'her own safety' is somewhat disregarded. The girl expressly told by Steel Soldier to get out of the area decides, upon seeing that more heavy ordinance is in use, that she should be where the ordinance is coming from! Without so much as a aord of objection to the imperative she has hopped down to the ground, headed into the toy store since that seems to be the source of the problem rather than an affected symptom. Once inside she narrowly avoids a baseball from a pitching machine which flies out of the store and through another window, no doubt angering some old man who resides within the low story apartment. It's always an old man's window with baseballs. She who has disobeyed the Steel Soldier is punching her way through toys that stand in her way as she takes a covered route to the portion where the science kits and other dangerous goodies live. "Oh come on." The armored man nearly facepalms as the girl just ignores him and runs off into the store where the rocket just came from. He follows after her, both to try to grab her and to find out what exactly fired that missile mini-missile, since it did seem to do just a bit of damage upon it's detonation. "What in the Lady's name... ?" Ororo turns to Warbird, then looks back toward the store. "Is this caused by the same thing that affected that underground car recently?" She asks, bending slightly to offer the masked woman a hand up, "I would prefer not to destroy the potential happiness of so many youngsters, if we could instead stop this at the source." Frowning at the two entering the store, she adds, "Are either of them with you?" Inside the store, things are pretty dicey -- but they're also more slapstick than deadly. Most of the people have fled, but a few stout-hearted employees have refused to back down. One has a bat and is hitting balls away from the merchandise when they're fired that way. Another is chasing after runaway toys with a large butterfly net. However, the real trouble is those robot teddy bears that have discovered the wonders of science. One group of bears is now on fire, chasing after a sales clerk and demanding hugs in tinny voices. Another has obtained various sharp implements and seem to be trying to go Ewok on the humans, setting traps and trying to capture them. Worst of all may be the life-size, animatronic Iron Man robot. Usually, he says patriotic catch phrases and strikes exciting poses so that kids will want to buy his miniature toy versions. Now, he's roaming free and shouting garbled versions of his usual phrases, such as, "God bless America criminal scum! Launch missiles at the American Way!" Warbird, meanwhile, accepts the hand up and groans. "This is really getting annoying. Steel Soldier is with us, but I don't know that girl. Can you... lightning the hell out of those things or something? We need to contain this before the headlines read 'Toys Make Fools of Sentinels.'" Iron Man cuts another swathe through the toys. "Lightning. Good idea." He's now moving to start to follow those who went inside, touching down to do so. The animated swarm is hardly a threat to him in the suit, although he's trying not to touch any of them. Just...in case. Grabbing the girl proves to be a challenge. She is fast. Very fast. She moves in flow with her surroundings, not pausing to catch bearings for longer than an instant. She is acting on behalf of the store clerks, getting them out of harm's way and the traps. The traps she does her best to ruin with the thousands of props available to her. Toys that are not by nature ambulatory are used in place of clerks as trap-springers. The ones that are ambulatory are struck with breaking force. The scientist-bears and other nefarious insidioms she herself is unable to do more about than pushing vast quantities of merchandise onto and hope that helps the situation. It is for this reason that she is toppling shelves. Steel Soldier sidesteps out of the way of something that looks like a bottle rocket, as it sails past him. He ducks low and scoops up an RC car that a stuffed bear is using as if it were a small APC and tosses it across at a wall, "Well this is the most insane thing I've ever seen." He mutters to himself as he moves to try to help the clerk with the bat, "Let's get you out of here before you wind up getting hurt. The store's not worth getting injured over." For now he lets Cass go, since she's going to ignore him regardless it seems, and he'll deal with her when the crisis is over with. Ororo raises an eyebrow at Warbird, then nods. "As you like." Once again, she raises her hands, and this time clouds begin to gather over the street, roiling and darkening to stormclouds in a matter of seconds. Her hands remain in the air for now, and she looks down at the toys a single lightning bolt crashes down onto a robotic dinosaur near the center of the group of toys. "People, I suggest you all stand back!" She calls out to those onlookers still crowding the area. Once her warning is delivered and she is sure the other Sentinels (and the strange girl) are inside, more lightning is called down, multiple bolts this time aimed at clusters of toys, spreading and dancing around the sidewalk until she cannot see another toy moving about outside of the store. In short order, the toys outside the store are sizzling and fried by lightning. That much, at least, was easy. The interior of the toy store is now in utter chaos, thanks in no part to Cassandra crushing would-be rocket bears with shelving materials. Fortunately, that seems fairly effective at rendering them helpless. The major threat left in there now is the Iron Man robot, which is now chasing after the screaming manager and firing foam darts at the poor man's backside. "I swear to GOD, I'll go back to college if I can just wake up and things will be NORMAL again!" Warbird, meanwhile, watches Ororo fry the rest of the toys outside. "Nice," she says, flashing a thumbs up. "Now, lets get this crowd calmed down so the police don't have to do riot control when they get here." She moves off toward the nearest group of gawkers, trying to shoo them off about their business. "Come on, people, let's move it back. We're already feeling bad enough about having to roast and toast a bunch of toys that were on discount sale after Christmas." Iron Man strides into the store and takes in...how DID the iron man robot get a foam dart gun? The real thing doesn't particularly care, but breaks into a run to get between it and the hapless manager. No doubt, the surveillance camera footage will be viral on Youtube by tomorrow. Assuming those don't malfunction too. With the immediate problems having passed, and the only real problem left being a large thing that the armored types would be better at handling if it has any lethal weaponry, Cassandra finally takes a moment to rest amongst the spoils of her little war on terrorist playthings. The true chaos for the moment has stopped and she can go back to looking like normal people do. She leans on a wall, out of the way from the rampaging yelling thing. An interesting day, for certain. The flying people then come to mind, and she pokes her head back out from her present hidey spot of in the middle of the mess, catching sight of Warbird to observe her. Of course as Iron Man gets in front of (Plastic) Iron Man, the other metal themed armored hero makes his way behind the one with the foam dart gun, and with a swift chop decapitates it. He looks to the fallen standee and then back up to Iron Man, the real one, and under his mask you know he just has this huge grin, "At least you're not that easy to beat." Ororo nods to Warbird, and turns to another group of people. "I suggest you do as the Sentinel commands." She adds, "Leave this place. Turn off your contraptions, before they too are seized by this insanity. When a group of teenagers protests, she lifts a hand, calling down a tiny bolt of lightning to zap erratically around her palm. "Now." The lightning offers just that extra bit of encouragement, and the teenagers retreat. With the crowd scattering, the way is clear for the police to arrive. Inside, the Iron Man impersonator is decapitated, toppled, and (upon hitting the ground) partially shattered. It twitches a few times, then falls still. Finally, it's quiet again, save for the distant, faint electronic wailing of a keyboard that couldn't get in on the fun no matter how it tried. Warbird chuckles a bit and says, "Unless you're going to decline, Ms. Munroe, I've been meaning to contact you and let you know you passed the background check and clearance evaluation. You'll be joining us as a probationary member." Then she notices Cassandra and, raising her eyebrows (notable only by the movement of her forehead, since said eyebrows are hidden behind her mask), she lifts a hand and gives her a thumbs-up. Whoever the girl is, she's clearly got chops. "And to think," comes the mechanical voice from the suit, "I was almost looking forward to fighting myself." Then he sends over the radio to Warbird. "I'm going to take some samples here, see if I can work out what we're dealing with." With a simple bob of her head, Cassandra acknowledges the approving motion, picking herself up, picking up with her one of the toy bears that managed to survive the ordeal relatively intact if no longer functional as a robot. She then tosses the bear into the mess with the rest of them. Steel Soldier does his best to finish securing the store, taking care of any renegade toys that may have been in a supply closet or anything of that nature, and then heads back outside once the store is clear, "Store's been cleared out. What the hell caused all that?" \"Excellent." Ororo smiles, "I look forward to working with you, and to meeting your other members." Her smile fades a bit as she looks to the girl, worry touching her features, "Will the girl be... what is the word, prosecuted? Or does this even count as vigilantism? And what will happen with all this?" She gestures to the broken bits littering the ground, glancing up as Steel Soldier approaches. "I was wondering the same thing." She offers. Warbird shakes her head. "Whatever it is, I hope Iron Man finds a solution and fast. This is just getting crazy." She nods to Ororo, saying, "Come by the Citadel after. I need to get you signed up and issue your combadge." Then she turns to approach Cassandra. "I'll handle that. I don't think any prosecution would be necessary. Or helpful." As she draws near, Warbird extends a hand to Cassandra, offering to shake. "Nice work," she comments with a wry smile. Cassandra for her part seems somewhat lost, for the moment indecisive or contemplative, she is looking around at the destruction of playthings on the mass scale. Since the playthings started it, she is not very bothered by their destruction. When approached, she looks at Warbird curiously, apprehensively responding by grasping the hand proffered. She looks not apprehensive of Warbird, but of the simple interaction. Her response? Silence. Steel Soldier reaches up to take his helmet off, holding it down by his side and getting a breath of non-recycled air, as he looks at Cass, "You know, while I will admit you handled yourself okay, next time leave it to the professionals, okay?" Ororo nods to Warbird, "I will." She glances around at the littered ground, watching the police tape off the area for a moment before joining the others inside. "Great Goddess... " She murmurs as she sees the broken bits of chaos lining shelves and floors. She looks curiously at Cassandra when her gaze passes over the young woman, but offers nothing to the girl save for a simple nod in greeting. Warbird's facial expression, as much as is visible, turns puzzled. "Nothing to say for yourself? I'm surprised. You're obviously not shy." She looks to the other two, then back to Cassandra. "Well, thanks for the help, but Steel Soldier's right. Next time, better leave it to the professionals. Okay?" Instead of a look showing guilt or even apology, Cassandra's expression hardens slightly, defiance quickly following this look. She does nothing more than grow that expression, demonstrating in no uncertain terms that she has no intention whatsoever of holding back from repeating her actions. Still, silence. Steel Soldier shakes his head a bit as he looks at Cassandra, and then turns to go help the cops with whatever he can. This is between Warbird and her now, since Cass is being disrespectful. At least in Steel Soldier's eyes. Ororo raises a brow at the one-sided conversation. When Steel Soldier leaves, she steps up to take the man's place. "Perhaps... " She suggests, "We should start with a different tactic. Like," She takes in the girl's clothing and general appearance, "Would you maybe like something to eat?" Warbird gives a slow nod. "Right," she says to Ororo, then offers Cassandra a smile, sincere if a bit concerned. "Why don't we get you some food? Our headquar--" she stops, apparently changing her mind. "There's a decent burger joint down the street. Why don't we head there?" With the mention of food, Cassandra's stomach makes a sound that depicts days of not eating. She melts the defiant expression for one of some dismay, and she decides at that time whether or not to follow the woman who underestimates the girl before her. The other one, darker of skin is given the assenting nod while one hand goes to her midsection. Momentarily she is again torn between actually going with them and accepting the offer, then hunger wins out and she just steps forward. Steel Soldier returns after checking on the police and EMTs, and is just in time ot hear about a burger place, "I'm in." He says, as he reaches down to tap something on the screen on his left wrist, his armor flashing away and leaving him back in the street clothes he started the night in, "We'll go celebreate the great victory over the Teddy Bear Uprising." Ororo smiles. She nods to Warbird, motioning for her to lead the way. "My name is Ororo," She offers to the girl, glancing at Steel Soldier to include him in her self-introduction, while turning to pick her way through the obtacle course on the floor, "And this is Warbird. She... we, that is, work for the Sentinels. Do you know of us?" She leaves Steel Soldier to introduce himself, unsure if he would prefer to use a different name with his change in attire. Warbird nods, murmuring the address to Ororo. "I'll meet you there," she says quietly. "I just need to sign off on some paperwork here, and I think I'd rather attend out of costume. That," she lowers her voice even more, "and if this girl's got some kind of... isue... then we need to watch her. If she's going to go vigilante -- and I think she /is/, no matter what we say -- then we need to get her a safe place to be. She can't join us unless she's older than she looks, and even then... I think I want to send her to Ted. I've been to his gym, seen him training teenagers. He might be able to help her out in ways we /officially/ can't." Then she nods to the others and turns to go speak to the police, who by now have the scene well in hand, particularly since they already have Steel Soldier's report. Category:Logs Category:Alien Invasion?